


Home Base

by InfernumEquinomin



Category: Blaseball (Video Game)
Genre: Cunnilingus, Hurt/Comfort, Light Bondage, Mind Control, Polyamory, Shamelessness, Trauma, Vaginal Fingering
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-20
Updated: 2020-11-20
Packaged: 2021-03-09 17:48:08
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,472
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27640241
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InfernumEquinomin/pseuds/InfernumEquinomin
Summary: Jaylen is used to swapping teams. It happens. Has happened a lot to her. What she isn't used to is getting attached.
Relationships: Jaylen Hotdogfingers/Percival Wheeler
Comments: 4
Kudos: 16





	Home Base

It wasn't difficult being on a new team, at this point Jaylen was used to new places, and people. What was difficult was the flickering not doing anything. She would check her pulse, feel her body vibrate, and wait for the feedback to pull her away, but it didn't happen. Or, since the Shelled One, it hadn't happened  _ yet _ . Expecting to be somewhere else, always on edge, made it hard to relax. Hard to open up.

Jaylen had friends, she did. She still talked to her friends back home in Seattle (or wherever they had ended up, that's your fault you know, all your fault, even Mike is gone again and--) and on other teams she had been on, even the Pods. Even being brainwashed there was a sort of solidarity that being on the team had given them all.

She even called Jess occasionally. 

Being on the Lovers was weird, they were all so close, had all been together through so much… Even NaN, a whole season with them, going on two now.

NaN hadn't let up on training, convinced they still had something to prepare for. Something to train for. Jaylen didn't have the heart to tell them it was over and that they could just relax (not that she was doing that either, on edge all the time, jumpy before every match, its your own fault you know, you're weak Jaylen, that's why that stupid nut managed to grab you so many times and--).

"Jaylen, hey, you doing okay there?" Percival said and she extended a hand to her shoulder, but Jaylen leaned away from it and Percival let it drop. That was something she had noticed. The Lovers all cared about each other, even if it wasn't romantic, more than any other team she had been on. They touched each other more, comforted each other more, watched each other more. At least they all got the hint that Jaylen didn't exactly want to be touched. Didn't stop them from reaching out, offering. She kind of wished they would stop (you don't deserve it Jaylen, after the lives you took, no better than those umps, you don't--)

"Jaylen?" Percival said again and Jaylen jumped a bit.

"Yeah, sorry, I'm fine." She said in a rush and realized she had half crushed her water bottle, loosening her grasp. Percival stepped a bit closer, into her bubble a bit, and took the bottle from her hands, setting it on the table nearest them.

"You're not. But that's okay." Percival said, a small, sad smile on her face, and Jaylen scowled. The last thing she (deserved) wanted was pity.

"I said I'm fine." She said and Percival nodded.

"Okay." She said simply and smiled. "Want to do some catching and pitching practice?"

Jaylen watched her, the other woman standing, looking almost incapable of deception, and then sighed heavily.

"Sure."

"Oh! Great! I could use it! With Milo in the office now I'm the weakest link on our rotation!" Percival laughed and scratched at the back of her head, maybe a bit embarrassed, and Jaylen snorted a bit and smiled.

"At least you can admit it. C'mon." Jaylen nodded and started towards the practice field.

* * *

There was always something happening at the Polyhedron, whether Jaylen liked it or not. Knight pontificating about goals and training and being the best team they could be, Don and NaN cagily avoiding questions (poorly in NaN's case) about some heist or another, Theo's whistling through the halls and while he cooked breakfast for the team, Kichiro listening to music loudly in her room. Even Yosh had some power tool or another going most of the time, even if he himself was relatively quiet. Sometimes Percival was the only person doing anything quietly, and even then, it was relative to the rest of the Polyhedron. The Garages had been loud, but a purposeful loudness, a comforting loud, and quiet in the off times. 

"You wanna spar?" Percival asked and Jaylen looked up from her book at the knight, her armor almost too bright to look at directly, standing in a practice form with her sword at hand.

"I don't know shit about swords." Jaylen said and Percy turned fully, grinning.

"I could teach you if you want!" She said and Jaylen shook her head.

"No thanks." She said. She was, hopefully, not going to need to know and it was better she not know any more deadly arts (just in case, you never know).

"Okay. I'm not disturbing you am I?" Percival asked, chewing a bit on her lower lip and Jaylen made a face at her.

"What? No? It's your room." She said, gesturing around them. Percival chuckled awkwardly and rubbed at one arm.

"Yeah, but you're reading, I want to at least be a gracious host." Percival said, shrugging.

"You're fine." Jaylen assured her and Percival puffed up her chest a bit.

"I know  _ that _ , but I'm definitely not bothering you?" Percival said with a grin and a toss of her dark hair and Jaylen bust out laughing.

"God, yeah you're all good." She chuckled and shook her head, Percival beaming.

"Good! Lemme know if you need anything." She said and Jaylen watched her go through her forms a few times before eventually returning to her book.

* * *

Sometimes Jaylen called Mike.They hadn't really talked, not  _ really _ . Not since before she died. He didn't answer usually… the Shadows had claimed him as one of theirs and that sometimes meant signal wasn't exactly consistent. Jaylen still wasn't sure what the deal with them was, but Mike seemed to get along okay in the Shadows.

Better than being dead.

"Hello?" Mike's voice was tired, not exhausted tired, but tired.

"Oh." Jaylen said. She really hadn't expected him to answer.

"Jay? Jay is that you?" Mike asked, sounding surprised. Jaylen cleared her throat.

"Yeah. Yeah it's me. Hey Mike." She said and he shuffled like he was settling in, a small clatter in the background. Probably hooking her up in the mech.

"Hey. What's up?" Mike asked and Jaylen swallowed. God, no matter what she did it still felt like she was choking. Her hand drifted to her neck.

"I uh, I just wanted to check in on you." She said and he huffed a sort of surprised chuckle then stopped.

"Oh." He said. Jaylen winced a bit and swapped ears.

"Yeah." She said. They hadn't ever been "just checking in" friends before, of course he would think it was a joke.

"I'm okay." He said, and it sounded like even he believed it. Jaylen relaxed the smallest bit.

"Yeah?" She asked. Mike hummed back.

"Yeah, had two shows back to back with the Shadows and while it wasn't bad, I'm wiped." Mike admitted and for a second it felt just like any conversation she had with Mike. Too little sleep, too many shows, passing out in the van. It felt normal. It was nice (Jaylen didn't deserve nice).

"Yeah, the Lovers are basically perpetually doing something. It's… not as quiet as Seattle." Jaylen said back and started walking. Keeping still while she talked was making her antsy.

"Nah, I bet not." Mike chuckled and then went quiet. Jaylen didn't know where to do from here. She knew where she  _ wanted _ to go. She wanted to talk about what he did to get her back. What she had done after. About everything she ever wanted to talk about with anyone but couldn't. Eventually, after a long moment, she went.

"Mike um… I'm sorry." She said and he scoffed softly. She heard the ending notes of a game of solitaire finishing and snorted.

"Why? None of that was your fault." He sighed and she groaned.

"I feel like it was." She said and Mike adjusted in his seat, the springs creaking loudly.

"I chose to go off the grid to get you back. Me. That's my cross to bear so don't go trying to take the spotlight." He scolded and she chuckled harshly, wiping her face.

"Sheesh Mike, no, I more meant for… after. Having to… watch." She said. She knew how it felt to watch. From the trench, from inside herself.

"You weren't in control Jay. I could tell you weren't." Mike said seriously.

"I should have fought harder." Jaylen said. Mike breathed a heavy breath out and took her off the mech's speakers.

"You were crying on the mound Hotdogfingers, if you  _ could _ have beat them, you would have." Mike said, softer now, and Jaylen nodded and didn't say anything.

"Jay?" Mike asked after a long moment and Jaylen sniffled.

"Yeah, I'm still here." She said, clearing her throat.

"I don't regret bringing you back." Mike said and Jaylen shook her head.

"Maybe you should." She said and Mike laughed, a harsh sort of laugh. He was crying too, she realized.

"Maybe, but I always was one to disappoint." Mike said and she could hear the grin in his voice. "I'll be in San Francisco in a few days. It would be good to see you."

"Yeah. Yeah I'd like that. Like old times." She smiled herself.

"It's never gonna quite be like old times, but still. We should get kebabs or falafel or something." He suggested and Jaylen's nose wrinkled.

"I  _ hate _ falafel Mike, Gods, you're the  _ worst _ ." Jaylen groaned and Mike cackled.

"I  _ am _ the worst pitcher in the league."

* * *

As much as she complained about how loud it was at the Polyhedron, the nights when it was quiet were the hardest ones. With noise she could be irritated with an external foci, think outside herself. When it was silent she couldn't help but think. Couldn't help but think of the Trench, deep, suffocating, cold as ice, colder. The few times she could see things being when she saw another friend join her, before being wrenched away. Couldn't help but think about her pitches veering off course, even if she threw a batting practice pitch, to hit with gut churning force. Even if she pitched away, they veered back, broken of physics, broken to gravity's law, claimed by her Debt. 

The one she thought about most was Kiki. Kiki jumping excitedly from the dugout for her first ever game, waving at the crowd, the Umpire pointing…

Percy set a cup of tea in front of her and Jaylen started a bit.

"I didn't see you come in." She said, her voice still sleepy, and Percy nodded and sat opposite her at the table.

"Nightmares again?" Percy asked and Jaylen swallowed hard, nodding and wiping at her face.

"Yeah." She said simply and Percival nodded.

"I dream about Matteo a lot. I knew incinerations could happen, we were all there when you…" Percy said softly and gripped her own mug of tea. "I didn't expect it to keep happening. Not to us at least."

"I don't think  _ anyone _ expected it to happen to them." Jaylen said, taking a small sip to test if the tea was cool enough to drink. The tea burned her bottom lip and the tip of her tongue and she set the mug down with a sigh, running her hands back through her hair. " _ Why _ are you  _ here _ ?"

"What?" Percy frowned and Jaylen looked up at her.

"You don't have to coddle me. I'm not going to do anything to you." Jaylen said with a snarl. Percy blinked at her once, twice, then crossed her arms, angry.

"Jaylen, that isn't why I came down. That isn't why I made  _ tea _ . You wouldn't hurt anyone on purpose." Percival said firmly and leaned over the table. "I'm not afraid of you Hotdogfingers. I'm  _ worried _ about you."

Jaylen looked at her, the other woman resolute, and her vision wavered as tears filled them.

"Shit. I'm sorry. Shit. You're just trying to be nice to me. Fuck. I'm so sorry." Jaylen said, crying and covering her face with her hands. Percy set a hand on hers and then let it drop off, just enough to get her attention but not enough to push.

"It's okay. It's just important for you to know, I think. Nobody here is afraid of you Jaylen." Percival said and stood up. Jaylen faintly realized she was wearing her pajamas, a t-shirt and some soft pants that drug the floor a bit, slippers that didn't really look her style and might have been a gift. She had a small flight attendant's cap perched on her head. 

Jaylen reached out.

"You don't have to go." She said, gripping onto Percy's shirt. Percival looked down at her and nodded slowly.

"Okay. What do you need?" She ashed and Jaylen swallowed and rubbed at her eyes, sore and a bit swollen from crying.

"Just be here. I don't want to talk about it but I don't want to be alone." She said hesitantly and Percival nodded.

"You mind if I talk about something else?" She asked, smiling gently.

"I'm not feeling like interacting much." Jaylen confessed and Percival moved back around to her seat at the table.

"Oh I can ramble about basically anything for forever. If you want it quiet though that's fine." Percival smiled and Jaylen huffed a half-hearted chuckle.

"Yeah, I think a little rambling would be nice." Jaylen nodded. Percy beamed and proceeded to tell her eras old gossip and stories about the town she lived in before tripping into a timeslip.

By the end Jaylen was definitely smiling and she meant it.

Her tea was cold.

* * *

"Hey, Percy, wake up." Jaylen said and Percival's eyes shot open. Her feet were wet in the grass, her arm sore, and she was shivering.

"Oh, again?" Percival chuckled a bit and trembled.

"This happens a lot?" Jaylen asked and Percival shrugged, like it wasn't a big deal to be outside with a bucket of balls in almost freezing weather.

"Kichiro is the lightest sleeper, she usually catches me before I make it outside. Or NaN recently, they sleep pretty light." Percival nodded and yawned. "I sleep pitch sometimes."

"You'd think you'd be better with the extra practice." Jaylen grinned and Percy bumped her with her hip, rolling her eyes.

"Yeah yeah, I have the muscle memory. I think I'm overthinking it." Percival said musingly and they wandered back inside. Kichiro's door peeked open as they walked and she poked her head out, blinking sleepily.

"I got it, go back to sleep." Jaylen said softly and Kichiro nodded but gave Jaylen a surprised arch of the eyebrow.

"Warm her up, it's cold out there." She yawned and Percival waved her off, still shivering.

"I'm fine. I'll just get under the blankets and be okay." Percival said stubbornly and Kichiro rolled her eyes and looked her over.

"Maybe shower, you're tracking mud." She said and Jaylen snorted.

"I got her. Thanks." She smiled and put a hand on Percy's back to push her along down the hall. Kichiro gave them one more raised eyebrow look then nodded.

"Keep it down lovebirds, we got a game tomorrow." Kichiro said and closed the door, Jaylen flushing.

"We have a game every day." Percival frowned and Jaylen looked at her, her own face still red, and shook her head.

"C'mon, let's get you to your room."

* * *

"We won! I did it Jay!" Percy cheered and Jaylen grinned from the dugout, nodding as the other teammates went up, hugging and congratulating Percy on her game. Don swung her around in a gleeful circle, Parker giving her an excited high five. Perct's horse, "Wife", slunk off to nibble at the grass of the field.

"You could join em y'know." NaN said, beside her, and Jaylen's smile became more forced and less real. She didn't know how to talk to NaN. Not really. They were both protagonists in this story they shared, but at least they had been spared The Shelled One's Wrath.

"I don't deserve it." Jaylen said and NaN snorted. She glanced at them, arms crossed over their chest, the perfect picture of a huffy teen, even if they were glitching and stuttering in existence.

"You deserve as much as you want. You got a second chance. A  _ third _ even. Do what makes you happy." They said, smiling out at the field as Knight pulled Percy into a big bear hug, lifting her off the ground, Theo grinning beside them. Yosh ruffled Percival's hair, knocking her hat off and she complained, smiling the whole time.

"I don't know how to be happy." Jaylen said and NaN rolled their eyes at her.

"Save the moping for the next album you do with the garages, enjoy it. We won." NaN said and waltzed out on the field, Percy giving them a hug and a high five, their smile wide even as they flickered a bit.

Jaylen checks her pulse.

* * *

"It's three am. Sorry." Are the first words out of Jaylen's mouth. Percy shakes her head and opens the door.

"Don't be." She says and walks back towards her rather elaborate four poster bed. Jaylen walks in a few steps and closes the door. She doesn't go any further. Percival sits on the edge of the bed and rubs one eye.

"Nightmares?" Percy asks and Jaylen shifts.

"Can't sleep." She answers and Percy pulls one leg up to her chest, hugging it.

"Wanna talk?" She asks, perching her chin on her knee.

"No." Jaylen shakes her head.

"Okay. Want to join me?" Percival asks and Jaylen goes stiff.

"I don't…" She starts, feeling panic in her rising, and Percival stands back up.

"To  _ sleep _ . It doesn't have to be anything but sleep. In fact I kind of just wanna go back to bed." Percival confesses and walks over to her. She extends a hand. Jaylen looks at it for a long moment. (You don't deserve this. Not after everything you've done. Not after the betrayal you dealt.)

Jaylen takes her hand.

* * *

Percy takes Jaylen to the stable the next morning. Jaylen didn't even know they HAD a stable, and if she remembered right, was pretty sure they weren't strictly  _ allowed _ in any stadium. 

"This is Wife." Percival announces when they walk up to a beautiful brindled mare. Jaylen had seen it before, when Percival pitched, but hadn't ever really seen where the horse went after games.

"Is this allowed?" Jaylen asked, reaching out to pet over the mare's mane. Percival shrugged.

"Anything is allowed when you can threaten the commissioner with a duel." Percy grinned and patted the horse on the nose.

"But horses aren't really allowed in blaseball." Jaylen said and Percy laughed, vibrant and full and looked pointedly at her.

"Not officially, no. But this isn't a horse, this is my Wife." She declared proudly and Jaylen cracked, laughing and nodding.

"Okay, okay." She snorted and shook her head.

"You want to ride her?" Percy asked as she hopped the paddock door into the stall and Jaylen looked over at her and felt her face flush.

"Uh, now?" She asked and Percy nodded, bridling the horse and opening the door to let her out.

"When else?" She asked and Jaylen looked at her, then the horse, then back to Percy.

"You know what? Yeah, fuck it. Let's go." Jaylen said and Percival grinned brightly at her.

It was like looking at the sun.

* * *

  
  


Jaylen was leaned comfortably on Percival's shoulder on the couch, reading a weird fantasy novel Yosh had recommended when Kichiro burst into the room.

"Hey, lovebirds." Kichiro said roughly and Jaylen sat up abruptly, leaning away from Percival.

"Yes babe?" Percival asked and Jaylen glanced at her. Percival and Kichiro weren't really  _ dating _ dating from what she had observed. Not in the same way Percival and Ortiz were dating, or Percy and Knight were dating. Even Percival and Don's relationship was different from her and Kichiro. It was just  _ different _ . Probably because of the whole alternate universe thing. Percy still called her babe though. Jaylen wondered sometimes if she missed the other Kichiro.

"Allie is coming over for the weekend, I wanted to see if you two wanted to double date." Kichiro asked and Jaylen felt ice water fill her stomach.

"We're not--" She starts and Percival takes her hand in hers. It's a pointed gesture, one Kichiro notices.

"What are the plans?" Percival asks smoothly and Kichiro shrugs.

"Dinner, probably dim sum." She said and Percy grinned wide and looked to Jaylen.

"Wanna get dim sum with us?" She asked, Jaylen pulling her hand back.

"We aren't dating are we?" She asked, running a hand back through her hair, glancing once at Kichiro who didn't look like she cared much.

"We could be if you wanted." Percival said so casually Jaylen almost felt like they were talking about two entirely different things. Kichiro sighs, looking a bit annoyed.

"It's  _ just _ dim sum. You can come as friends, Allie just wanted to be able to see you and Saturday was when me and Percy planned a date." Kichiro shrugged and Percival nodded. Jaylen sighed and reevaluated the state of the polycule in her brain. She was gonna have to ask Parker for a chart…

"I just like dumplings." Percival said with a wide grin and Jaylen looked between them, finally sighing and slumping back into the couch.

"Okay, yeah, dim sum." Jaylen nodded and Percival clapped her hands in glee.

"Cool, I'll tell her you're coming!" Kichiro grinned and leaned in, kissing Percival's cheek and pulling her phone to call Allison.

Jaylen waited for her to leave and looked at Percy.

"Do you want to date me?" She asked, seriously, and Percy shrugged, grinning.

"You're pretty great Jay." She said and Jaylen stared her down a second, Percival perfectly content with her explanation, before huffing a chuckle and shaking her head.

"You're weird." She sighed and Percival bumped their shoulders together.

"I like you. How is that weird?" She asked, smiling wide.

"You could have just asked me out." Jaylen said, feeling her face heat.

"Okay, wanna go on a date?" Percival asked and Jaylen felt that panic rise, that feeling of guilt souring her mouth, and she swallowed it down.

"Yeah. Yes actually." She breathed and Percy grinned wide.

"Before or after our double date with Kichi and Allie?" She asked and Jaylen swallowed hard. If they put it off she might think too much about it.

"Tonight?" She asked and Percy nodded.

"Sure." She said. Then Percy went back to sharpening her sword and Jaylen relaxed back into her spot, reading quietly beside her before their next game.

* * *

Letting Percy pick their date was  _ apparently _ a bad idea.

"No, ssssseriously, Perce picks the most ridiculousss ssstuff, trust me." Ortiz said conspiratorially in the dugout. 

"Like what?" Jaylen asked and Ortiz snorted, her hair hissing.

"Okay sssso, the lasst date I let Perce pick we ended up in some biker bar with Perce kicking the ssshit out of a gang of skinheadsss and then the hospital because a guy ssstabbed her." Ortiz chuckled and Jaylen smiled softly out onto the field at Percy.

"Oh." She answered and Ortiz was a flutter of hands beside her.

"It's  _ fine _ , like,  _ you'll _ be okay, Perce wouldn't let  _ anything _ happen to you, but like, maybe guide her towardsss dinner and a movie or something." Ortiz suggested and Jaylen shook her head, looking out at the field, Percy kicking at the dirt with the toe of her shoe.

"Nah, I think I'll see where it goes." Jaylen said and smiled a little wider when Percy waved over at her.

"I strongly suggest otherwise Jaylen, Percival has valor, but sense is harder to come by." Knight said, setting their cool hand on her shoulder. She shrugged them off.

"I think I could use some excitement and misadventure." Jaylen said softly and Knight shrugged.

"Tis your decision. Have fun." Knight said with a warbling metal sound she assumed was a chuckle.

"Guesssss everyone has to have  _ one _ Perce date sssstory." Ortiz laughed and Jaylen smiled and nodded.

* * *

Jaylen was not freaking out. She just wanted a second opinion and Mike wasn't answering his phone and everyone else hated her.

She wasn't freaking out. She  _ Wasn't _ .

"House of Fuckin, whatcha Suckin?" Tillman answered his phone and Jaylen immediately wanted to hang up.

"Hey. It's Jaylen." She said instead, jaw set on edge.

"Oh. How'd you get my number?" Tillman asked, but not accusatory. He sounded genuinely surprised.

"Allison gave me the phone tree when I… got back." Jaylen answered hesitantly, and Tillman made the worst clicking noise with his mouth she had  _ ever _ heard over the phone.

"When ya came back from the dead? Gotchaaaaa. So, what can I do for you?" Tillman said and Jaylen rubbed at her forehead. She knew Tillman wasn't delicate, or subtle, but he was maybe one of perhaps two people she knew who… Well, he knew what it was like to come back. The fact that he flaunted it incessantly was still grating.

"I… This was stupid." Jaylen said and she could  _ hear _ him rolling his eyes, his whole neck in on the action.

"Nah, nah, listen Jaylen, I don't get that many callers, seriously, why call  _ me _ ?" Tillman asked and Jaylen pinched the bridge of her nose.

"You, regrettably, have style and I needed a second opinion on what to wear on a date later. Mike didn't answer his phone but he dresses like a dad anyway..." Jaylen finally confessed and Tillman hummed gently, obviously rustling through something.

"Got teamspeak? I don't have any other video chat." He asked and Jaylen made a face.

"Ugh, you really are the worst. Yeah hold on." She grumbled and 

"You're gonna have to join my group here..." Tillman said and she clicked the link on her phone and was horrified when a deep fried version of Tillman appeared on screen, a webcam taking a video of his camcorder's tiny screen, and outlined in bright neon pink.

"Why are you like this?" Jaylen groaned and Tillman shrugged (or she thought he did? He had that subtle movement, not that it was easy to tell with the video quality).

"Dunno. Just Tillman bein Tillman." He said, sounding actually a bit smug. Jaylen made a mental note to bean him next time they played the Shoe Thieves. Debt or no Debt.

"Can you at least see me?" She sighed and he nodded.

"Oh yeah in like 1080p." He smirked and Jaylen ground her teeth for a moment then shook her head and grabbed the two outfits on the bed.

"Okay. Blue or Green?" She asked, holding them up so her phone could kind of get her whole body.

"This is a good time to mention I'm colorblind, right?" Tillman asked and Jaylen dropped the dress down on the bed.

"Dude…" She sighed.

"I'm kidding! Okay, set your phone down and step back in front of it." Tillman said and Jaylen sighed again, propping her phone on her desk and doing as instructed, entirely unable to see more than a discolored blob of Tillman-esque features. "Okay, hold up the green one."

Jaylen held it up in front of her and Tillman hmmed and mumbled for way,  _ way _ too long.

"Okay, the other one?" He said and Jaylen grabbed it and he hummed louder, sounding mockingly considering for almost a full five minutes. Jaylen shifted.

"Well?" She asked and Tillman cocked his head to the side in mock confusion.

"Hm?" He asked.

"What do you think?" Jaylen said, crossing her arms and walking over to the phone.

"Can I see the red one again?" He asked.

"There  _ isn't _ a red one!" She yelled.

"Okay okay, cool down Bean Queen, I'm just goofin around. What are you doing on your date?" Tillman chuckled and Jaylen rubbed at the slowly building headache in her forehead.

"No clue, Percy is picking." She said and Tillman hissed through his teeth.

"Oh shit for real? Green then, for sure. Wanna be mobile in case shit goes tits up." He stated and Jaylen rolled her eyes.

"Jeez, it can't be that bad." She said. Tillman scoffed.

"Percival took Parker on a date  _ once _ and Parker came back with blackberry jam absolutely caked in their hair. Like… it is impossible this was a single jar of jam. Like a  _ fuckload _ of jam." Tillman said and Jaylen rolled her eyes.

"That doesn't seem too bad." She said and Tillman huffed.

"Tell  _ that _ to Parker's now incredibly short hair." Tillman said, chuckling and Jaylen laughed.

"I'll be sure to next time I…" She started and then trailed off, Tillman not really looking at the camera anymore.

"Yeah." He said, short and clipped, and Jaylen bit her tongue.

"Shit, I'm sorry Tillman." She said and he laughed, a bit cruelly.

"Fuck off, it's fine." He said and she saw his screen go blank.

"No really. I wasn't thinking." She said, lifting her phone to her ear again.

"Neither was I, it's cool, don't make it a thing." He said and his voice sounded a bit rough. Jaylen swallowed hard.

"So… green?" She asked, and he sighed a little, gratefully.

"Yeah. Sensible shoes too. In case ya gotta run from a goth gang or something." Tillman said flippantly and Jaylen chuckled.

"Okay, thanks. I was leaning that way." She answered and Tillman took a deep sharp breath.

"Hey, Jaylen?" He blurted and she braced herself. Tillman wasn't one to sound serious.

"Yeah?" She asked.

"How the fuck do you deal with this?" Tillman asked, gruffly and a bit aloof with his tone, and Jaylen frowned.

"Being Returned?" She asked and Tillman snorted.

"Nah, being a fucking  _ baller _ pitcher." Tillman cackled and Jaylen snorted. "Nah, the Returned thing. How do you deal with it?"

"Poorly. I mean, have you  _ seen _ me?" Jaylen said bluntly and Tillman huffed a strained laugh.

"Oh, word."

* * *

Their date isn't as eventful as Jaylen expected it to be, after all the hype Ortiz and Knight gave it.  _ Sure _ , Percival got into two fights at the bowling alley.  _ Sure _ , Jaylen had to drag her from the bowling alley before she got stabbed (again apparently) by some homophobic jerk.  _ Sure _ , when they got food they stopped to eat at a park and Percival ended up falling in the fountain looking at what she had  _ thought _ was a fish and Jaylen had to pull her out, sopping and giggling. But all in all, it was, more than anything, nice.

Percival was still wringing out her shirt, Jaylen holding her flannel up to hide her from the foot traffic, when she stopped and gave her a look.

"What?" Percival asked, smiling at her, and Jaylen realized her cheeks hurt from smiling.

"Nothing." She said, looking away and Percival chuckled.

"You're smiling a lot." She said, like it was an achievement. Maybe it was, but Percy always made her laugh. Shit, she really made her smile a lot actually.

"I'm having a good time." Jaylen said and Percy laughed with relief.

"Oh good. I'm apparently a disaster on dates." Percival said and Jaylen looked back as Percy pulled her shirt back on, flushing a bit and looking away again. Jaylen started a bit at Percival's fingers on her chin, turning her head gently and then dropping away. "You can look if you want."

"We're in public Percy, geez." Jaylen flushed and Percy laughed, grabbing her still dripping jacket off the edge of the fountain.

"Then maybe we should go home." Percy suggested and Jaylen simultaneously felt an icy nervousness and a heat flush through her.

"Yeah, sure." Jaylen nodded and Percival offered her hand, Jaylen taking it as they walked back towards the Polyhedron.

* * *

Jaylen kissed Percy before she could chicken out, only halfway into Percy's bedroom because Jaylen hadn't cleaned up hers before their date. Percival's hands cupped her face, gentle, barely touching, and Jaylen pressed forward, shrugging out of her flannel and pressing Percy to the edge of the bed where she stopped firm, not going into it like Jaylen wanted. She wanted her to touch her, grabbing hard, bruising, and Percy was holding back. Jaylen pulled back and lifted her hand to Percy's, pressing it to her cheek.

"Touch me." Jaylen said, voice rough, and Percy met her eyes, panting, lips red from how hard Jaylen had been pushing into her.

"You sure? We don't have to--" Percy started and Jaylen lifted a hand and covered her lips.

"I want you to touch me Percy." Jaylen said and a warm blue glow cast shadows on Percival's face. Percy met Jaylen's gaze and nodded once before her arms were around her, caging her in, firm and immovable, Jaylen's hand falling from Percy's lips as she was scooped up and settled on the bed. It was like she was weightless, like her heft didn't matter to Percy, and Jaylen felt a little giddy, giggling a bit as Percival pulled her shoes off and tossed them towards the door. At no point did Percy stop touching her, her hands moving over her clothes, sliding under her shirt, calloused fingers running over Jaylen's skin, and Jaylen pulled at Percy's shirt, insistent, desperate to feel her skin on Percy's. Percy leaned in and kissed her breathless, unbuttoning her shirt and pushing it down Jaylen's shoulders, almost pinning her arms at her sides with it half on, and Percival pulled back.

"What do you want?" She asked, cheeks flushed and Jaylen licked her lips.

"I want you to do what you want with me. I don't want to have control right now." Jaylen answered, her fingertips finding Percy's knees at her sides where her arms were pinned and petting at them as much as she could. She just wanted to touch her as much as she could.

"Okay." Percival smiled and pulled her shirt over her head and Jaylen stared, taking it in. In the park she had been so preoccupied with the thought of other people seeing Percy that she hadn't really looked herself. Percy was built, abs defined in a way you only got from rigorous routine, muscle cording her arms sculpted like marble, scars slashing pale pink skin in various directions and shapes and Jaylen lifted her hand, shrugging her shirt up a bit to give herself some slack. She settled her hand on Percival's stomach, firm, unyielding, and ran her thumb over a raised bit of scar tissue. Percy reached down and gripped her wrist.

"Is it a problem?" Percival asked, and her voice was firm but still sultry, and Jaylen looked up at her, shocked.

"A problem? You're gorgeous Perce." She said and Percy snorted and looked away, embarrassed.

"Ah well, some people don't care for them. I train hard." Percy said and she sounded a bit proud of that fact. Jaylen sat up, as well as she could, and planted a kiss firmly on Percy's chest, near what was obviously a sword cut scarred near her collarbone.

"You're strong, and gorgeous, and I want to know how you got every single scar." Jaylen said and Percy shivered a bit and wrapped her arms around her, holding her up and in place simultaneously.

"Maybe later. For now I have something I want to do." Percy said and Jaylen felt her shirt being pulled down her arms but stop at her wrist. Then it tightened and she rotated her shoulders to allow her hands to be bound behind her back more easily. She looked up at Percy who was smiling gently. "Yes?"

"Absolutely." Jaylen nodded and Percy tightened the knot of her sleeves with a final yank and then ran her hands up Jaylen's sides, over her shoulders, down her chest, the heat coming off Percival intoxicating and addictive, Jaylen leaning into every touch and brush of her fingers, chasing that feeling. Percy leaned in and kissed her, claiming her lips hot and hard, just as much as Jaylen had been pushing before, and she moaned softly into the kiss as Percy pressed her back onto the small mountain of pillows on the bed. Percy's mouth drifted from her lips to her chin, her throat (right over her pulse), to her collarbone, lower, nipping gently at her chest and Jaylen chewed on her lower lip as Percival looked up at her, her hands unbuttoning her jeans.

"Yes?" Percival asked and there was an edge of mocking teasing to it that had Jaylen writhing and lifting her hips.

"Yes!" She said and Percy pulled her pants down, lifting her effortlessly as she stripped Jaylen naked. Jaylen sat there, under Percival's gaze, intense as she looked her up and down. Jaylen had only ever felt like prey once before, but this time… Well this time it curled in her stomach with a longing and a yearning she didn't know quite how to sate. "Please…"

"Of course Jay." Percy purred and then Jaylen was panting and moaning up at the ceiling, Percival's arms wrapped around a thigh each and her face buried in her cunt, licking and kissing at her, sucking gently. Jaylen's eyes fall closed and she lets Percival take over, her hands on her thighs, her hot, damp breath on her cunt, her tongue working, and just tried to focus on not making too much noise and waking up the whole team. Jaylen wished she could cover her mouth, she knows she's making too much noise, even with as quiet as she's trying to be, but her arms are firmly tied, keeping them behind her back, and she feels at ease for the first time since the Shelled One fell.

She can't hurt anyone like this, with her arms behind her. Percival's arms wrapped safe around her legs, holding her up and in place. She can't say the wrong thing if her mouth is occupied with trying to stay quiet and moaning. Jaylen relaxes and then her body tenses, her orgasm rushing over her in a tight wave, and she nearly screams when Percival slides a finger in her, her stomach muscles flexing and contracting and making her curl up with Percy's face trapped between her legs, whining and moaning as she feels herself gushing over Percy's face, Percy humming encouragingly and curling her fingers inside Jaylen to hit right at her G-spot.

"Fuck! Perce!" Jaylen cursed and loosened her grip on Percy's face, the woman pulling away and smiling up at her.

"Yes? Can I help you?" She asked, grinning and licking at her lips, and Jaylen huffed out a short chuckle.

"Smug huh?" She asked and Percy shrugged.

"A little." She said and curled her finger once, Jaylen jolting a little at the small aftershock of pleasure that shot through her.

"A-ah hey…" Jaylen whined and Percival chuckled and pulled her fingers out of her, slowly, so slowly. Jaylen watched, enthralled as Percy lifted her hand to her lips and licked the taste of Jaylen off them. Jaylen sat up and wiggled. "Okay, get these off."

"Hands numb?" Percy asked, leaning forward worriedly and Jaylen looked up at her, gaze deadly serious.

"No, I'm gonna fuck you until you beg me to stop." Jaylen said and Percy snorted and nodded, moving closer.

"Hope you don't have plans in the morning." Percy said wryly and untied Jaylen's hands. The second she was free Jaylen grabbed Percy by the waist and hefted her down onto the bed, her black hair splaying around her head, nose wrinkled in amusement, and kissed her. 

Jaylen could taste herself on Percy's kips and it made her feel heady, dizzy almost. She pulled Percy's skirt up around her waist and Percy nipped at her bottom lip, sucking it gently into her mouth, and Jaylen moaned softly and met her eyes.

"Bring it on." Was all that look seemed to say and so she did. Jaylen dipped her fingers down into Percy's underwear, drenched and slick, and kissed down her neck, sucking hickies into Percy's pale skin as she went, tonguing over scars. Percy's arms wrapped around her, holding them close, Jaylen pressing as close as she can get to her, hand moving as Percy claws a hand in her hair, holding her mouth tight against her neck.

"Harder Jay, please." Percy groaned and Jaylen couldn't possibly say no to that, curling her fingers harder, thrusting them deeper, adding another and feeling Percy's pulse racing through her cunt. Percy's body is taut, like a guitar string, and Jaylen plucks until all she can hear is Percy  _ sing _ . Jaylen lets her ride it out, her hips moving incessantly, thrashing and gulping panting frantic breaths of air as she cums, over and over around Jaylen's fingers, Jaylen's smile so wide on her face as she watches, listens, takes every little bit of this moment in.

"Okay, okay, I yield." Percy pants and pats at Jaylen's head weakly, and Jaylen snorts a little and flops on her back beside Percy, still panting and twitching occasionally. Percy's hand finds hers weakly, and gives it the smallest little squeeze. Jaylen lets her eyes fall closed.

"Good?" Jaylen asked and Percy chuckled weakly.

"Very. You?" She asked and Jaylen opened her eyes, craning her neck up to look at Percy beside her.

"Yeah, very good." She smiled and Percy lifted her arm, beckoning her closer.

"Mm, come here." She said and Jaylen chuckled softly and rolled onto her side, hooking a leg around Percy's thigh and flopping her arm over Percy's chest, idly fonding her left boob. Percy suddenly groaned a bit.

"Shit." She grumbled.

"What? You okay?" Jaylen asked, sitting up on one elvow and looking down at her. Percy waved her off.

"Nothing, I just remembered I have to pitch against the Tigers tomorrow." She scowled and Jaylen laughed, plopping back down beside her and shaking her head. Percy petted softly at her hair and Jaylen felt like maybe she could know exactly what contentment felt like, if not happiness.

Before she fell asleep, Jaylen checked her pulse.

* * *

Jaylen stood off at the back of the dugout as Percival and Usurper Violet shouted at each other. She couldn't quite hear exactly what they were saying but they looked good doing it, all dramatic poses and heroic pointing. Jaylen smirked and adjusted her hat, then yawned.

"Long night?" Kichiro grumbled and Jaylen glanced over at her and nodded. It was obviously a bait question, Kichiro looked exhausted and while Jaylen had tried to keep it down, Percival had made no such efforts.

"I figured it would be obvious." Jaylen said and gestured vaguely at her neck and the deep purple hickey she had.

"Yeah yeah, flaunt it all ya want, but seriously, next time keep it down." Kichiro chuckled and Jaylen once again was unsure how their whole… thing worked. Better off not worrying about how Percy and Kichiro manage their own relationship and perhaps just focus on not bombing her own.

"I'll try. She's shameless." Jaylen said and looked back to the field just in time to see Percy dipping Usurper, grinning ear to ear even as he looked furious (and maybe a bit embarrassed).

"Psssh, don't we know it. Seriously though, don't you dare hurt her Hotdogfingers. She's pure of heart or whatever, she doesn't deserve it." Kichiro said gruffly and Jaylen nodded, smiling out at at the field, Percival's "horse" grazing on the grass in the outfield as Percy and Usurper talked now, close and maybe a bit flirtatious. Jaylen was seriously going to need that chart.

"I don't deserve her." Jaylen said softly and then Kichiro was punching her in the arm.

"I didn't say  _ that _ Jaylen." Kichiro said, rolling her eyes. "All I was saying was treat her good. If she wants you you deserve it. Like I said, pure of heart."

Jaylen looked Kichiro in the eye for a long moment before Kichiro sighed, defeated.

"Seriously." She huffed, then leaned past Jaylen. "Don, get over here, my don't hurt Percy speech turned into a pity party."

"Oh no, I didn't-" Jaylen started and then she was being spun, dipped and then righted and clapped on the shoulders.

"No pity for you Hotdogfingers! You're a hero, enjoy the after party! You can do whatever you want now, within reason." Don declared vibrantly and Sandford nodded from behind him.

"He's right. Relax." Sandford said gently and Jaylen, surprisingly, did. A little. The anxiety of being on the field and not knowing what was going to happen next was always going to be there, but at least with this, maybe she could just unwind and enjoy it. She smiled at her teammates and nodded.

"Yeah. Okay." Jaylen smiled and looked back out at the field, the Sun 2 shining down merrily on the field, her friends and teammates laughing. The other team was laughing. Jaylen felt the cold tightness in her stomach retreat.

Her hand went to her neck, she felt her heartbeat, and she smiled.


End file.
